The Persona series seems to keep growing in popularity ever since the release of Persona 5 in 2017. Since then, the game has received a handful of spinoffs in the form of games like Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 Strikers. Excitement for the next game in the series, Persona 6, has been growing with each new rumor about its development. Unfortunately, the game isn't likely to be coming out anytime soon, as there hasn't even been an official announcement that Persona 6 is in development. After completing Persona 5 and its many spinoffs, fans have been searching for new games to play that are similar to Persona 5, and they should look no further than Danganronpa Decadence.
Although it isn't out yet, Danganronpa Decadence is a compilation of four remastered titles that would be perfect for fans of Persona 5 who are waiting for the next mainline game to come out. While they aren't perfect matches, as the Persona series are RPGs and Danganronpa doesn't feature any gameplay mechanics like that, they're games that seem to get paired up together frequently. As Danganronpa Decadence is a compilation, it'll likely hold Persona fans' attention for quite some time while they wait for Persona 6 to arrive.
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As mentioned above, the two series don't have everything in common, but they seem to check a lot of the same boxes in terms of characters and tone. The Danganronpa series follows high schoolers as they're forced to participate in a deadly game. When someone is killed, it's up to the player to try and deduce who did it through a series of trials. The game is mostly told in a visual novel format, extremely similar to that of Persona's story. There's plenty of reading in both games to the point where oftentimes they both make the player feel like they're reading the mangas that each game is inspired by.
While they lack similar plot elements on a surface level, both game series have the player take control of a high schooler who builds relationships and bonds with those around them. Additionally, both games have dating simulation elements included in them for those looking to spice up their return to high school with a little bit of romance. Because of this, a lot of the characters in all three mainline Danganronpa games feel pretty similar to those in the Persona series. They have a lot in common since they are all high schoolers put in crazy life or death situations.
The mysteries surrounding the murders that happen during the Danganronpa series feel similar to a lot of the mysteries that players need to get to the bottom of in Persona. As P5 is all about changing the hearts of heartless adults, the main antagonists of the games often have some pretty strong similarities to the killers in Danganronpa. Putting each killer on trial in Danganronpa feels like a different interpretation of what the Phantom Thieves do in Persona 5 as they both share dramatic confessions and perilous moments.
One of the things that really cements the similarities between the two series is the fact that they both share flashy visual styles. Persona 5's all-out attacks feel right at home next to Danganronpa's courtroom counters and each game's interface seems to really compliment the other's. For fans who were drawn to Persona 5 because of its distinct visual style, but were having trouble finding other games that bring the same level of "oomph," Danganronpa is the clear next step. All in all, both titles feel a little bit like they're in conversation with each other based on how similar they feel, but are also remarkably different in terms of gameplay.
Danganronpa Decadence releases on December 3 for Nintendo Switch.